As one can expect with anything coming out of the ever-expansive afrofuturist consciousness, Afro Futuristic Dreams is an exploratory, cosmic journey traversing past and future timelines with references to science fiction writers Octavia Butler and Samuel R. Delaney, all while deeply rooted in the “urgent reality of the present”—of police brutality, of reclamation of identity, of people power. Idris Ackamoor’s distinctive saxophone style is magical, melting into the budding orchestration of violin, guitar, and keytar. Among more familiar jazz motifs and structures, the album wanders boldly into meditative ambient and rock spaces with subtle sprinklings of electronic ornamentation. It’s almost impossible not to hum along to this, in turn offering an inwardly felt grounding ritual of harmonization.
Labeling this album “experimental jazz” feels a bit redundant and shallow, given jazz’s rich history of experimentation and innovation, all the while celebrating the joy of collaboration and improvisation. It can’t be limited to any one kind of feeling, vibe, or -ism. The album is a whole experience. Afro Futuristic Dreams is best listened to from start to finish. Oh, to see this live.
